We Found Love: A Glee Project fanfic
by XxXIceshadowXxX
Summary: Shanna is a junior in high school, and one of the biggest choir enthusiast she knows. She couldn't wish for better friends, or a better life. But recently, she's started to have feelings for the Muslim girl in her English class, something that she never would have imagined happening. When said girl joins the choir, Shanna finds that they have more in common than they realize.
1. Chapter 1

**So I'm back, and I've got a Glee Project fanfiction for y'all. Not sure when I'm going to update my other stories, I've kinda lost interest in them for now. But I will get back to them later, I promise!**_  
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**This is a high school AU fanfic centered around the shipping of Shaylin, or Shanna and Aylin. If you don't like girlxgirl couples, then this isn't the fanfic for you. There will be other couples in this fic later on, but I won't spoil them for you. :P  
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**I hope you enjoy! I have two other chapters line up after this one, so let me know if you want more!  
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* * *

_She's so pretty…_ Shanna sighed, biting the eraser of her pencil; a bad habit she did when she was distracted by something. Or in this case, some_one_.

What surprised the blonde though was the fact that it was a girl. The gorgeous red-headed Muslim girl in her English class, in particular. Shanna watched as she scribbled onto her test with her purple mechanical pencil, her dark eyes focused on the exam, following every new line she wrote. She was _mesmerizing_.

But growing up in a Christian household made Shanna feel a nagging doubt in her mind. She knew if she ever told her parents… things would never be the same between them, ever. If she could even find the courage to tell them in the first place. The only person she _had_ told was her best friend, Ali, and she had to practically pull the answer out of her. _It's not like it matters anyway…_ Shanna sighed again, this time with a hint of sadness. _'Aylin would never like me… Not when there are so many guys begging to date her.'_

"Shanna!"

Shanna jumped, her heart lurching, as the teacher's voice broke the silence. When Shanna glanced meekly at the desk, the teacher's eyes burned into her. "Keep your eyes on your own paper, please." She snapped, turning back to her computer.

Quiet snickers echoed from the other students, making Shanna's face grow hot. Ali looked back at her friend from her desk, her eyes sympathetic. Trying to ignore the blush on her face, Shanna looked back down at her test, forcing herself to focus on the test, rather than the pretty girl in front of her.

She still couldn't stop a glance or two.

* * *

Shanna grimaced at the greasy slice of pizza on her tray, turning to Ali, who was sitting beside her. "I don't think I can eat this, hun."

Ali faked a gag, shoving her tray away from herself. "Me neither, Shan." She stuck her tongue out at the school food.

Her mind drifting, Shanna found her eyes drawn to the popular table, the sitting place of Aylin and her friends; Blake, Lily, Michael, and Abraham. They were the ones that you wanted to be friends with to make it through high school without issues; no one ever questioned them. Shanna watched as she laughed with her friends, feeling a tug of longing. "Shanna… Shanna!"

Ali snapped her fingers before her friend's face, making Shanna snap out of her trance. Ali raised one eye brow, leaning back in her wheelchair. "Wow, Shanna. You've really got the hots for her, don't you?" She teased playfully.

Shanna looked around anxiously, leaning closer to whisper to Ali. "Keep your voice down, Al! I don't know what I would do if anyone found out… So please."

Ali patted Shanna's arm in comfortingly. "I know, Shan, I know. Just teasing you, silly." She smiled brightly. "You might wanna make a move soon though. I heard that Blake was going to ask her out sometime."

Shanna felt a stab of jealousy deep in her heart. But what could she do? "I can't really make a move, Al… I don't think she's even attracted to girls. Why would she like me anyway?" Shanna trailed on. "I'm just the quiet, shy, awkward choir girl-"

"Shanna!" Ali shook her arm, making her cut of abruptly. "You don't know if she's _not_ crushing on you, now do you?"

Letting out a small sigh, Shanna shook her head.

"Exactly. Don't let your fears hold you back, Shan. If you want her, then go for her!" Ali encouraged.

Shanna considered her words for a moment, then smile. "Thanks, hun. I really needed that."

"What're friends for?" Ali laughed, taking her tray from the table and setting it on her lap. "Now then, you better go clean our plates before the bell rings."

Shanna giggled, getting up from the table with her tray in hand. "Alright, Al."


	2. Chapter 2

Shanna walked into choir class the next day with a smile on her face, her golden hair bobbing lightly with every step she took. She loved choir class more than anything, and looked forward to it more than any other class in school. She felt like it was the one place she could be herself; to "belt to Jesus" (a very popular phrase of hers) and let her emotions out in the best way possible: singing.

Ali rolled in after her, giving a quick wave to their teacher, Mrs. Anders. She smiled at the two of them sweetly before turning back to her binder of sheet music, setting a sheet down on the piano before her. Everyone else in the large room had already gotten their folders and were settling into their seats, so Shanna and Ali hurriedly grabbed their folders and hurried to the soprano section. "So do you know what we're working on today?" Shanna asked Ali, sifting through the music in her folder.

"I think we're working on 'I Hope I Get It' first today." Ali pulled the mentioned song out of the folder pocket, setting the folder onto the floor next to her wheelchair.

Shanna nodded, tugging the packet of music from hers just as the door flew open, revealing someone she'd never expect to see in this class. Shanna felt her heart quicken, her eyes growing wide.

'_Aylin? Why is she here?'_

Ali cast a shocked look at Shanna, but she barely noticed it. She couldn't help but stare at the red-headed girl, loving how cute she looked in her striped purple shirt and with her hair pulled up into a ponytail. She strode up to Mrs. Anders, looking out of breath. "Sorry, I thought I was going to be late." She laughed slightly. "I asked to be switched into choir, and I was supposed to come in today, right?"

Mrs. Anders looked at her attendance list for a moment, nodding in approval. "You _were_ correct. Aylin Bayramoglu, right?"

"Indeed I am, Mrs. Anders." Aylin confirmed, flashing a smile that made Shanna take a sharp breath.

"Alright, go ahead and take a seat anywhere. I'll have you sing aloud so I can tell what voice range you are, and then I'll decide on a permanent seat for you." Mrs. Anders made a sweeping motion with her hand over all of the chairs, her eyes scanning the other students, who were still talking amongst themselves like usual. "Excuse me, Shanna?"

Shanna jerked her attention to the teacher, her heart still pounding. Aylin had turned to glance at Shanna when Mrs. Anders had called her name, her lips still curved in a polite smile. "Y-yes, ma'am?" She stammered, trying to ignore the fact that _Aylin_ _was looking at her._

"Would you please get Aylin a folder and the songs we're doing?"

Shanna felt her palms begin to sweat, but she stood up from her seat and began to make her way down to the piano. "A-alright, hun…"

She got down to the file cabinet which had the spare folders and music in it, pulling it open. She could hear Aylin's shoes tapping on the floor as she came up behind Shanna, her hands behind her back. Shanna was sure Aylin could hear her erratic heartbeat at this point. "Hey, I know you! You're in my English class, aren't you?" Aylin asked, her voice as sweet as honey. "You sit behind me."

Shanna nodded once, sifting through the papers, hoping Aylin couldn't see that her hands were shaking slightly. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Shanna." To her relief, Aylin said nothing else after that, and Shanna finished her task. She handed the folder to her and immediately went back to her seat, her knees still quivering. Ali looked around to make sure no one was paying attention before patting Shanna's leg comfortingly, giving her a small smile. "Good job, Shan," she whispered.

Mrs. Anders pressed down on a few keys of the piano, a common way for her to get everyone's attention. Heads turned to the front of the class, the gossiping dying down almost instantly. "Good morning, everyone." She started, pulling her song binder from the top of the piano. "If you didn't notice, we have a new girl in our class starting today."

Everyone in the room began to say their greetings to Aylin, even most of them knew the popular junior already. "Glad to be here!" She giggled, glancing around at everyone.

"Now then, Aylin, since I need to find out your vocal range, would you please come up to the front of the room? You can pick your song." The blonde teacher gestured Aylin to come up, which she did eagerly.

"Hm… Can I do a new song?" Aylin clapped excitedly when Mrs. Anders nodded. "Then can I please do 'Without You' by David Guetta?"

"Of course."

Mrs. Anders began to play the piano, Aylin shifting her position slightly and taking a deep breath.

To be honest, Shanna didn't know what to expect when Aylin opened her mouth. She had only ever heard her voice used for speaking, answering questions in English, and gossiping with her friends. But as soon as Aylin started the first line, Shanna was completely stunned. Her voice was _beautiful_.

_I can't win, I can't reign…_

_I will never win this game…_

_Without you, without you…_

Shanna closed her eyes, feeling herself drift away as she continued. She had never loved this song as much as she did at this moment. She definitely had the alto voice, low and smooth, but with just a hint of huskiness, which only seemed to add to the appeal of it.

_Can't erase, so I'll take blame…_

_But I can't accept that we're estranged…_

_Without you, without you…_

Shanna opened her eyes when Ali tugged on her shirt, mouthing to her friend, "she's really good!"

Shanna could do nothing but nod back in response.

_I am lost, I am vain…_

_I will never be the same…_

_Without you, without you…_

_Without… you…_

As soon as Aylin ended the song, applause erupted from the rest of the class. She grinned, doing a small bow while laughing. "Aw, thank you!"

"Very well done, Aylin. Let's see… You'll sit in the alto section." Mrs. Anders decided, confirming Shanna's prediction.

Aylin practically skipped up to an empty seat, definitely looking like she was going to burst with pride. And to Shanna, she had every right to be. "That was great!" Ali whispered to Shanna, her voice high pitched with excitement.

Even though Shanna didn't answer, Ali had a knowing smile on her face when she turned back to the teacher.

Shanna's face told her everything she needed to know.


	3. Chapter 3

"Shanna!"

Shanna looked up from tying her sneakers to see a girl with short dark hair and pale skin, her usually shy brown eyes friendly and bright. "Hey, Nell!" Shanna greeted her friend, taking her foot off of the locker room's bench. "What's up?"

"Are you ready to come to the gym now?" She asked, tugging on her black shorts. Nellie always complained to her and Ali that their gym clothes were too revealing for her taste. Shanna knew that Nellie still felt uncomfortable about it (especially since Michael was in their gym class).

Shanna nodded, feeling energetic. She knew that they were playing volleyball today, a sport that Shanna enjoyed quite a lot. She wouldn't put it on the same level as singing, but it was a good way to exercise. "Alrightly, let's go!"

They both sprinted into the gymnasium, other kids milling around their classes. Their own teacher, Mr. Simmons, stood close to the wall, clipboard in hand. Slipping around the crowd, Shanna and Nellie made their way toward their class. Mr. Simmons was already speaking. "…so I'm going to split you into teams and have a mock tournament. Whichever team wins gets to skip running laps the next day."

Excited chattering erupted from the class, Shanna and Nellie exchanging a glance. No one ever wanted to run laps in gym class, especially in the heat of the fading summer.

After getting split into teams (Shanna and Nellie luckily being put on the same one), Shanna was handed the ball by the teacher. "You serve first." He instructed, leaving to give the other teams their volleyballs.

Shanna got into position in the back, Nellie looking back at her in anticipation. Crouching down, flicking her blonde hair out of her eyes, she held the ball in one hand before her. She silently tossed it upward, the white ball seeming to hang in the air. Then, she slammed her forearm into the underside of the ball, the strike echoing like thunder through the gym. The ball soared through the air to the other side of net into the waiting hands of the opposite team.

For a while the ball went back and forth, neither team gaining any ground. Shanna's breathing grew labored from all of the running to hit it, her blue eyes fixed on the ball and only the ball. As she rushed forward to spike it, she didn't notice the other girl charging forward. Right as she jumped up to strike it, the other girl practically body slammed into her, knocking the breath from her lungs. The both fell to the floor, Shanna letting out a yelp of pain. "Shanna!" She heard Nellie gasp close by.

The first thing Shanna was aware of was a burning pain in her left knee, and she clutched it with one hand, gritting her teeth. Nellie was beside her, offering one hand to pull her up. "Shan, are you okay?" She asked in concern, her eyes dark with worry for her friend.

"My…" Shanna gasped, trying to catch her breath. "My knee… I think I twisted it."

Shanna saw someone else helping the other girl up, and she didn't appear to be injured, making her feel a bit of relief. But the pain in her knee made it hard to think about anything else. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the teacher coming toward them. "What happened?" He asked as Nellie tried to help Shanna up.

Shanna gingerly put weight on her left leg, but she winced and immediately shifted her stance. Her leg _hurt_. "I ran into someone by accident and hurt my knee." Shanna explained to Mr. Simmons, rubbing at her knee.

The teacher frowned. "Looks like it's bad. Go ahead and go to the nurse."

Shanna nodded weakly, turning around and limping toward the double doors and out into the hallway. She sighed, then began her long journey to the nurse's office.

"Um… Excuse me?"

Shanna knocked on the door hesitantly when the nurse didn't answer, but no one came to the door. It wasn't locked, so Shanna turned the doorknob and stepped inside the small room. Shanna hadn't been to the nurse's office very often beforehand, but she remembered the long desk on the left side of the room; a common thing for every staff member at the high school, the array of chairs against the wall, and the cot on the right in case someone needed to lay down. Shelves lined with various medical supplies sat on the walls. The room was naturally kind of dark, so it took a second for Shanna's eyes to adjust to the lighting.

When they did, she could make out the distinct shape of someone lying on the cot. She stopped for a second, suddenly afraid that she disturbed a sick student, but when the figure lifted its head, she felt a surge of surprise. "Oh, hello…" A rasping voice reach Shanna's ears, letting out a small cough afterward.

"Aylin?" Shanna gawked, groaning in her head. _So soon after her unexpected arrival in choir a week ago?_ "What are you here for?"

Aylin gave her a weak smile. "Asthma attack. It happens sometimes. I was just recovering from it."

"Oh…" Shanna murmured. She didn't know Aylin had asthma problems. "I'm sorry about that…"

"Don't be." Aylin assured, coughing once into her hand. "I've had asthma since I was young. I'm used to it. What are you here for, though?"

Shanna, her leg trembling at this point, decided to sit in one of the chairs across from Aylin and wait for the nurse. She felt her heart beginning to race again, but she took a deep breath to calm herself. She tried to remember Ali's words. _"Don't let your fears hold you back."_

"I twisted my knee during gym class." Shanna told the red-head, rubbing at her still hurting leg. "The teacher sent me here."

Aylin nodded in understanding. "Gym class can be a bitch sometimes, huh?" She laughed breathily.

Shanna found herself laughing. "Yeah, it can be."

Aylin pulled herself into a sitting position, hugging her knees to her chest. "You know, Shanna, I didn't get to say it to you earlier, but you have a really great voice." She smiled. "Like, no joke."

Shanna felt a blush spread across her face, thankful for the dim lighting of the room. "T-thanks, hun… But your voice is way better than my plain old voice."

"Oh, stop," Aylin giggled, her pretty dark eyes sparkling with laughter. "You're being too modest. How long have you been singing for?"

Shanna thought back to her childhood. "Since I was pretty young… Singing has always been a huge part of my life." Shanna remembered fondly, smiling. "It's just… such a magical experience. Coming out onstage for crowds of people to convey feelings through such beautiful songs… I love singing more than anything."

Shanna, realizing how silly she must have sounded just now, closed her mouth, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to ramble."

But Aylin looked a bit stunned. "Wow… You know, I feel the same way! Most people who sing now, they're only in it for the fame and the money, but… I just love to sing. And that's all."

They sat in silence for a few moments, Shanna contemplating Aylin's words. Shanna never would have expected Aylin to feel the same way. Most of the people in their choir class were just there to be with their friends, or for the attention it brought them, and as much as Shanna liked Aylin, she thought that maybe she was there for the same reason. _'How could I think that though, when she has a voice like she does?'_

"You know Shanna, you're pretty cool! Do you think that maybe… we could be friends?" Aylin asked curiously, twirling a lock of red hair around her finger.

Shanna's blue eyes grew wide. A little while ago, Shanna wasn't even sure if Aylin knew who she was. And now she was asking if they could be friends? Was this a dream or something? She swallowed nervously, but collected herself enough to reply. "O-of course we can, hun! I'd love to be friends with you." She blurted out, trying to ignore the racing of her heart.

Aylin clapped her hands together happily. "Awesome!" She cheered, grinning. "Well, I think I'm going to get back to class now. I finally got my breath back, and I don't think my science teacher will appreciate me being gone for so long."

Shanna nodded. "Alrighty hun. I'm glad you're feeling better. So… I'll see you in English?"

Aylin got up from the cot and stepped up to the door, looking over her shoulder. "Yup! I'll see you there! Oh, and Shanna?"

Shanna gave Aylin a questioning look.

"The way you call me 'hun' is freaking adorable. Just thought I'd let you know."

With a sweet smile, she shut the door behind her, leaving Shanna to stare after her with a face as red as a tomato.


	4. Chapter 4

"Wait, wait, wait… You want to be friends with Shanna? Shanna Henderson."

Aylin raised an eyebrow at Blake, putting her pencil down on her desk quietly. "Yes Blake, Shanna Henderson. Is there a problem with that?" She asked, a little sharply.

Blake seemed to be taken aback by her tone, but he still looked adamant. "Aylin, she's a theater nerd. What is everyone going to think if you hang out with her?" He pressed.

"Does it really matter, Blake?" Aylin sighed in exasperation, tapping her red-painted nails on the desktop. "I'd still be friends with you if you weren't the quarterback of the football team."

Blake let out a grunt, turning his attention to the instructions to their science lab, flipping through the packet without really reading the text. "Why do you want to be friends with her anyway?"

Aylin thought back to the conversation they had in the nurse's office, and the look of happiness Shanna had when she told her about her love of singing. Aylin had never really met anyone who loved singing as much as she did, even now in junior year. "She loves to sing, Blake. Probably just as much as I do." She turned to Blake and shoved him teasingly. "And she doesn't try to hide it like you do, Mr. Singer."

Blake shot her a sharp look, but he shoved her back. "Oh, shut up Aylin."

"She's just… different." Aylin murmured softly, picking up one of the test tubes and swirling the contents around a little bit.

She didn't notice the jealous look Blake gave her this time.

"She really said that!"

Shanna winced at the volume of Ali's voice, shushing her loudly. "Ali…! Please keep it down!" She pleaded, looking around to make sure no one noticed. Thankfully, it didn't seem as though anyone heard Ali's little outburst.

Ali clapped both hands over her mouth, but her eyes were still full of excitement. Shanna lifted her fork and took a bite of her salad; deciding that it was a much better option for lunch than the usual greasy food they served. But the salad was small, and would probably leave her hungry around gym class.

"I'm sorry Shan, but this is so awesome! She was totally teasing you." Ali whispered, taking a bite of her apple.

"I know she was, Al." Shanna sighed. "But it doesn't mean anyt-"

Ali cut her off with a huff. "Of course it does! Shan, it's so obvious, _I_ can see it."

As much as she wanted to believe that, Shanna couldn't agree with her friend's words. Why would Aylin, one of the most popular girls in the school, just suddenly get an interest in her? Especially when she was best friends with Blake, quarterback of the football team. Plus, she probably didn't even like girls. From what Shanna had heard, the Muslim views on same-sex relationships weren't good. As if Christian views were much better.

Shanna took another forkful of lettuce in her mouth, chewing it half-heartedly. As much as she believed these things, she couldn't deny her feelings for Aylin. And learning that they had a shared love of singing only intensified them.

Shanna felt tears begin to burn the corners of her eyes. It seemed as though everything was against her, but she liked her so much… "Shan? Are you okay?" Ali seemed to notice her friend's distress, her face full of concern.

"I don't know what to do, Al… I like her, I like her _so_ much, but all of these things just go against my feelings and… a-and…" Shanna buried her face in her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks. "W-what do I do, Al?"

Shanna heard Ali move slightly, her arms wrapping comfortingly around her back. Shanna sobbed quietly into Ali's shoulder, grateful for her friend's support. "I'm sorry, Shan… I'm not trying to pressure you or anything, okay? I know this is hard for you." Ali apologized.

"No, no, it's not you…" Shanna sniffed, pulling away from the embrace and rubbing at her eyes. "I think I just needed to let that out. It's just… it's hard to come to school and see her every day, and then go home and go to church and try to forget how I feel. It's like I'm living a lie, even around my parents."

Ali patted her thigh soothingly. "I know, Shan."

Suddenly, the ringing of the bell sounded through the cafeteria, many getting up almost instantly and heading out into the hallways. Shanna picked up her tray. "Come on, Al. Time to head to class."

After going through choir and gym class (her knee acting up a bit during laps today), Shanna stopped at her locker, spinning the combination almost effortlessly. After doing it for a few years, locker combos were easy to remember and do. Pulling her locker open, she grabbed her medium-sized white-and-gray backpack from one of the hooks, settling it down on the ground. She grabbed her English and Math books, groaning at the thought of the math homework she would have to do at home. "I wish math was as easy to understand as singing. Then I'd be an expert." Shanna mused, lifting her backpack and slipping it on one arm. Pulling out her iPod and sticking the earbuds in her ears, she stepped outside of the school building, ready to walk home.

She began the half an hour long trek, shuffling through the music in her iPod. Eventually, she stopped on "We Found Love", and she paused. _'Hm… Sure, why not?'_

She clicked play, the familiar song sounding through the earbuds. She began to sing the song quietly, walking down the long sidewalk toward her street. "_Yellow diamonds in the light… Now we're standing side by side…_"

Quick footsteps began to echo behind Shanna, which she could hear since she had the volume low. She twisted her head around to see who it was, and why they were running to catch up with her, when she saw red-hair and dark eyes glinting in the bright sunlight. "Shanna!" Aylin called, rapidly closing the distance between them.

Shanna felt a thrill of excitement in her chest, but alongside it the usual nerves she felt when Aylin was around. She stopped so she could catch up to her, which she did, a little breathless. "Aylin, hun, shouldn't you be careful? With your asthma and all…" Shanna murmured, feeling worried for her.

Aylin shook her head, catching her breath. "Nah, don't worry, I'm fine. Is your knee feeling better?"

"Better than it did before, but it still hurts a little." Shanna admitted, pulling her earbuds out so she could hear Aylin more clearly.

"So why are you walking home then?" Aylin asked, casting a glance at her knee.

Shanna began to walk again, Aylin following next to her. "I have to. My parents are busy working when school gets out. It's just a short walk; my house isn't too far away." Shanna put one earbud in, pressing play once again.

"Oh my gosh, what song are you listening to?" Aylin asked eagerly, grabbing the other hanging earbud. "Can I listen?"

"Sure you can, hun."

Aylin slipped it into her left ear, gasping. "I love this song!" She confessed, humming along to the music.

Shanna smiled. _'I don't think she realizes how adorable she is sometimes.'_ She mused to herself.

Without another word, Shanna opened her mouth and began to sing to the lyrics.

"_We found love in a hopeless place… We found love in a hopeless place…"_

After a few seconds, Aylin began to sing along with her, their voices mixing perfectly.

"_We found love in a hopeless place… We found love in a hopeless place…"_


	5. Chapter 5

"Alright everyone. Before we start class, I have some exciting news that pertains to all of you."

Shanna, who was getting ready to take out "I Hope I Get It" from her music folder, paused in mid action. She placed the folder on her lap and held it with her hands, turning her blue eyes on Mrs. Anders. The rest of the class quickly followed suit, all of their attention focused on the blonde teacher. "I'm not sure how many of you know already, but solo ensemble contests are coming up." Mrs. Anders announced, making some students glance at each other excitedly. "It's free for all to do, regardless of grade, and all it requires is a sign-up sheet, which I will put up on the bulletin board today. You can do solos, duets, or small groups of up to five people."

Shanna felt a perk of interest. For one, she would _love_ to try her hand at a solo. She could think of dozens of songs to do, but another thought also crossed her mind. _'Maybe Aylin would want to do a duet…'_

She couldn't help but feel a bit ecstatic at the thought.

"Hey, Shan! What are you going to do?" Ali asked beside her, shaking her shoulder to get her attention. Shanna shook off her thoughts, turning to Ali and smiling.

"I think I'm going to do a solo. And maybe some other stuff too… Would you and Nell want to do a group song? Other than that, I'm not sure…" She trailed off at Ali's skeptical look.

"I know you want to do a duet, Shan. And I know exactly who you want to do it with." She snickered, looking past Shanna to Aylin, who was talking to the altos around her with a bright look on her face.

"Okay, okay… You caught me." Shanna laughed. "Maybe if she asks me, alright? Now, how 'bout we sign our names on that list?"

When Shanna walked out of the school's front doors, she spotted Aylin waiting at the front. They had started walking home together afterschool when they realized that their houses were only about twenty minutes away from each other, and they sang songs to pass the time. Smiling, Shanna strode up to Aylin and poked her on the back, giggling when she flinched in surprise. Aylin smacked her on the arm lightly in return, which Shanna feebly tried to block. "You silly." Aylin laughed, following Shanna as she started walking.

"So, do you want to listen to music?" Shanna asked, beginning to pull out her iPod like usual.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something first." Aylin admitted, shifting her black backpack's weight on her shoulder.

Shanna felt her heart begin to beat faster, but she shoved the feeling off. _'What are you expecting her to ask you?'_

"What is it, hun?"

"Would you… want to do a duet for choir?" Aylin seemed to be a bit nervous, which surprised Shanna. "I think our voice mix pretty well together, so…"

Deep down inside, Shanna wanted to jump up and down screaming. Just the thought of doing a duet with Aylin, no matter the song, made her stomach flip-flop and her heart quicken to what must be dangerous speeds. She composed herself enough to reply. "Why, of course hun! To be honest, I was going to ask you the same thing…" Shanna confessed, laughing light-heartedly, trying to control the joy bubbling in her chest.

Aylin's eyes lit up, and she quickly wrapped her arms around Shanna's neck in a big hug, making the blonde girl stumble a bit on the sidewalk. Her face felt like it was on fire, her mind fumbling to gather its thoughts together.

But it was a little hard to because _Aylin Bayramoglu was hugging her and she smelled so nice and what is she supposed to do oh my goodness._

Aylin pulled away after a moment and gave a little shake of happiness. "Yay! I'm so happy you said yes, I asked Mrs. Anders about the details and she said we could do whatever song we want to do, just as long as it wasn't an original song." Aylin gushed, clapping her hands together. "So do you have any ideas for a song we could do?"

Shanna tried to hide her blush by staring at the houses on her left side, trying to stop the shaking in her legs. "I-I don't know, hun. We should think about it for a little bit before we actually choose one."

"I know, but it's so exciting!" She sighed suddenly, looking down at the concrete below their feet. "I really wish my other friends were as open about their love of singing as you. Like Blake, for instance."

Shanna did a mental double-take. Blake? Blake liked singing? "I didn't know Blake liked to sing."

"Don't tell him I told you, but he really does. He's just afraid if he gets into theater that his reputation will drop." Aylin shrugged. "If you ask me, it's his loss."

Shanna couldn't imagine trying to hide her love of music; it'd be like trying to live without food or water. "Agreed." Shanna nodded, pulling out her iPod so they could try to decide on a song.

When she turned it on and got to her playlist, she skimmed through the music her eyes catching on a few songs. Aylin leaned over to see the list, suddenly gasping when she passed by 'Someone Like You'. "We should do this! 'Someone Like You' is my favorite song of all time, we _have_ to do it."

Shanna was about to say she wasn't sure, since she wanted to take a bit more time to choose a song for them to do, but the pleading look in Aylin's eyes made the words stick in her throat. Instead, she smiled warmly, giggling. "Alright, alright, you win."

Shanna got her second hug from Aylin that day, and her reaction still wasn't any better than the first.


	6. Chapter 6

Aylin was at her locker, pulling her chemistry book from the shelf when she heard a familiar voice come up next to her. "Aylin, could I talk to you real quick?"

She turned to grin at her friend Abraham, recognizing her friend's voice easily. When she met his gaze though, her smile turned to a frown. He looked almost uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot. "Sure sweetie, what is it?" She asked, closing her locker door.

"I…" Abraham paused. "I notice that you've been talking about a certain person a lot recently. So I wanted to ask you if there was anything going on between you two…"

"Well, I have to know who you are talking about before I can answer any questions, Abe." Aylin pointed out, looking quickly at her watch. They only had a few minutes left to talk. "Can you hurry, please? I don't want to be late for chemistry."

"Shanna Henderson, Aylin. During lunch, you're always saying what a great voice she has, and that she's so nice… Is there anything going on?" Abraham asked curiously.

Aylin was taken aback, her mouth falling open. She never would have expected a question like that. She tried to think of a way to respond, to reassure him that there was nothing going on, but the words caught in her throat for some reason. "W-what are you talking about? I don't swing that way, Abe."

Why did she feel like she was lying to him?

"Oh come on, Aylin. You said you were doing a duet with her for the contest coming up. Are you doing a performance with anyone else?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Aylin flinched, unable to answer that one. "W-well…"

"Exactly." Abraham's face softened. "Aylin, you don't have to hide it from me. Just tell her."

Aylin felt like her emotions were in a twister. What if Abraham was right? What if she did like Shanna? What would her parents think? The rest of her friends, or the whole school for that matter? Aylin couldn't handle it. Shoving her emotions to the back of her mind, she picked up her books and turned away. "I'm sorry, Abe. I have to go to class now."

"But, Ayli-"

Aylin had already started running before he could finish his sentence.

"_Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead…_"

Aylin and Shanna both cut off at that point, the music ending along with them. Shanna's eyes lit up in excitement, making Aylin stomach twist. She still couldn't get Abraham's words out of her head, no matter how hard she tried to focus on the music. "That was great, hun! We're going to kill this song during the competition." Shanna gushed, pressing the pause button on her iPod, which they were using to practice.

They were at Shanna's house, their decided practicing destination, since Aylin's house was further away. Her room was medium-sized, walls painted powder-blue, which had posters of various singers hanging from them. A few other things were in the room, like a bookshelf, a closet on the left wall, and a guitar in one corner, but the room was relatively spacious. Aylin was sitting on the plush white carpet, which was expectedly comfy, and Shanna was sitting on her bed against the right wall. "So, do you want to go through it again?" Shanna asked, looking up at Aylin from her music.

Aylin was pulled from her thoughts, finding herself unable to meet Shanna's eyes. "Sure, I guess." She murmured halfheartedly, sighing. What was wrong with her?

But Shanna could sense something was wrong, frowning and getting off of her bed. "Is there somethin' wrong, hun?" She asked with her adorable country twang.

Shanna settled down across from the Muslim girl, crossing her legs and setting her hands in her lap. Aylin turned her head up, meeting Shanna's concerned gaze with her dark eyes. For some reason, Shanna's close presence made her feel a bit ruffled. "I-I don't really want to talk about it…"

"Come on, hun. You can tell me anything. Did somethin' happen?" She pressed, making Aylin's discomfort grow.

"It's just…" Aylin tried to find the words to explain. "I think I like someone, okay?"

Aylin wanted so badly to tell her who the 'someone' was, but fear held her back.

Shanna seemed to falter a bit before replying. "O-oh… I'm guessing you don't want to talk about who it is?"

"I don't even entirely know if I like them. I mean, they're kind and sweet, and a great singer," _Jesus, did I really just say that out loud?_ "But… I don't think it would work between us." Aylin admitted, tugging at a lock of her ginger hair.

A look of sadness crossed Shanna's face before changing to a look of support. "Listen to me, Aylin. You are a pretty, kind-hearted girl with a great personality. Not to mention you have one of the best voices I've ever heard." Shanna leaned forward, taking one of Aylin's hands between both of her's. "And if you really like this person, no matter who it is, I'm sure you'd be a great match together."

Aylin gazed into Shanna's eyes for a moment longer, her heart pounding out of her chest and her hands tingling. Then, without another word, she closed her eyes, leaned her body forward, and captured Shanna's lips in a kiss.

Her heart fluttered in her chest like a trapped bird, and she felt Shanna's body freeze up in shock. But the blonde country girl didn't pull away like Aylin thought she would. Instead, she kissed back softly, relaxing her tensed up muscles.

After a few seconds they both pulled away, Aylin opening her eyes to see Shanna's face, which still looked stunned. "A-Aylin… Do you…?" She murmured, her voice trailing off.

Instead of answering her, Aylin smiled lovingly at her, taking one hand and cupping the side of her face. Shanna smiled softly as well, and the two girls' lips met once more, but this time more deeply and passionately, Shanna's arms wrapping around Aylin's neck.

When they pulled away, Aylinleaned her forehead against Shanna's gazing, into her bright blue eyes. "I love you, Shanna."

Shanna's smiled softly back. "I love you too, Aylin."


	7. Chapter 7

Sighing, Shanna tapped her fingernails on the nightstand next to her, her phone pressed to her ear. "Come on, Ali… answer your phone!" She grumbled, but really, she was far from irritated. Her heart was still singing in her chest from tonight's events, and she needed to tell someone, so obviously Ali was the first person that came to mind.

Finally, Shanna heard Ali's voice on the other end. "Hey, Shan. What's up?"

"Ali, I really need to talk to you. You aren't busy or anything, are you?" Shanna asked, rolling over so her stomach was flat on her bed.

"Nah, I'm not really doing anything. Why? What's wrong?" Ali's voice grew concerned.

"Nothing's wrong, Al. Right now, I don't think anything could be wrong." Shanna paused for a second, trying to contain her excitement. "You have to promise me you won't freak out when I tell you what I'm about to tell you."

"Cross my heart." Ali vowed.

"Well, Aylin came over afterschool today so we could practice our duet, right?" Shanna started, pulling a nearby pillow under her chest to get comfortable.

"And…?"

"And we were practicing until Aylin had just the most stressed out look on her face. So I stopped the music and asked her what was wrong."

"And what was wrong with her?" Ali asked, sounding like she knew where this was going.

"She said that she liked someone, but she didn't think it would work out between the two of them. So I told her that she was a pretty, talented girl and that if she really liked the person, things _would_ work out. And then… She kissed me."

Shanna held the phone away from her ear as Ali proceeded to let out an eardrum-breaking squeal, stopping so abruptly Shanna could practically see Ali covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh my god, Shanna, I'm so happy for you! What happened after that?"

"Well…" Shanna blushed a light pink. "Let's just say there was less practicing and more cuddling involved… And we weren't really using our mouths for singing."

As Ali let out another high-pitched sound, Shanna shielded her ear from the noise, wondering how many more times she was going to do that before their conversation was over.

"Blake? What's up?"

Aylin set her phone down on her nightstand and put it on speaker so she could get ready for bed, walking over to her closet to get her pajamas. Blake's voice sounded through her phone and into the air of her relatively small room, loud and clear. "Well, I wanted to ask you a question, actually."

Aylin arched her eyebrow, though she knew he couldn't see it. She pulled her shirt up over her head and threw it into her hamper, slipping into her loose pajama shirt. "Alright then, ask away."

"Well, I was just wondering… If maybe you wanted to go out sometime?"

Aylin froze in place, turning her head and staring at the phone. She felt a cold dread settle in her heart, and her mind filled with fear. "You mean… you want to take me on a date?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"Well, yeah. I thought maybe you'd want to catch a movie with me sometime, or something."

Aylin swallowed nervously, her stomach feeling sick. "I, um… I-I don't know what to say, Blake."

"You could say yes." Blake replied, his voice joking.

"I…" Aylin felt the words stick in her throat, but she forced herself to continue. "I can't, Blake. I'm sorry."

"Why?" Blake's voice held a hint of anger. "I've liked you for a long time, Aylin. I thought that you felt the same way."

"I'm really sorry, Blake…" Aylin tried to apologize, her voice growing desperate. "You're my best friend. But I don't want anything more than that."

"Why can you just give me a chance?!"

Aylin flinched at the tone in his voice, but she said nothing.

"Okay, I see how it is." Blake's voice was cold. "You know, ever since you started hanging out with that Shanna chick, you've become a different person. I feel like I barely know you anymore."

"I'm the same person, Blake!" Aylin practically yelled, tears burning the corners of her eyes.

"No, you aren't. You aren't the same Aylin I knew back in freshman year. And it's her fault. And you can bet I'm going to do something about it."

Before Aylin could say anything back, the phone cut off. As she took her phone off of speaker mode, she fell into her bed, crying. She was sad about losing her best friend, of course, but above anything, she felt fear for the girl she loved. What was Blake going to do to her?

What were they going to do?


End file.
